Coun. Tim Tierney elected FCM president, first from Ottawa in 84 years

Tim Tierney, an Ottawa city councillor, was elected president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on Sunday at the organization's annual conference in Edmonton—making him the first FCM leader from the nation's capital since 1942.

Tierney, who represents Beacon Hill-Cyrville, has been involved with FCM for 15 years. On the plane to Edmonton, he got a tattoo reading "FCM" in black ink beneath a maple leaf in crimson red—a gesture he later quipped was proof of his dedication. During his speech on the final day of the four-day meeting, he framed the role as a responsibility at "a defining moment for Canada."

The last FCM president from Ottawa was Stanley Lewis, who served from 1939 to 1942. Lewis was also Ottawa's second-longest-serving mayor, holding that office from 1936 to 1948.

As president, Tierney said he will push the federal government on three "burning priorities": infrastructure, community safety, and housing. He plans to raise these issues "whether it's testifying at a parliamentary committee, at a reception or in a restaurant, or even seeing them on the street"—leveraging Ottawa's proximity to Parliament Hill, where he has regular access to MPs, senators, and cabinet ministers.

Tierney emphasized that municipalities need "stable, predictable funding" and that he will focus on delivering the "non-sexy" essentials—like sewers—that cities require to grow. His national mandate means working for the needs of all municipalities, not just Ottawa, though his base in the capital gives him unique leverage in federal conversations.